Cape Ground Squirrel

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Cape Ground Squirrel at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Marakele National Park, Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, Mokala National Park, Augrabies Falls National Park and Camdeboo National Park and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.

The Cape Ground Squirrel is most recorded in Northern Cape (48% of records), Eastern Cape (21% of records), Gauteng (13% of records), based on 1,181 iNaturalist observations. 23 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Cape Ground Squirrel on site or nearby.

The Cape Ground Squirrel is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Marakele National Park: May-Sep, dry season; Mokala National Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Augrabies Falls National Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.

The Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

The Cape ground squirrel or South African ground squirrel is found in most of the drier parts of southern Africa from South Africa, through to Botswana, and into Namibia, including Etosha National Park.